Flames
by That Revels Girl
Summary: When Talia comes to Sunnydale looking for revenge, she finds something she never expected. (Mild Bangel)


**Hey, guys! I just wanted to say that this is my first story so be nice! But don't be afraid to be critical 'cause I need to learn...**

 **Anyways I hope you enjoy the story and remember I love reviews!**

She stared at the Magic Box, eyes blazing, her fiery hair blowing in the strong wind from atop the hill overlooking the small town of Sunnydale, California. Buffy would pay for what she did, she would feel what real pain is.

At the age of 12, Talia had watched the vampire slayer Buffy Summers kill her father, a fire demon. Since then, she had pledged that she would be the one to once and for all eliminate the slayer. She had spent the past three years training, researching, and trying to learn the slayer's weaknesses. She moved to Sunnydale and posed as a student at the recently rebuilt Sunnydale High to get close to Dawn Summers, Buffy's younger sister. What Talia hadn't expected was to become Dawn's closest friend…

It had been 9 months since Talia had moved to Sunnydale, and she had almost forgotten what she had come here to do; almost. She and Dawn had spent every waking moment together, they trusted each other more than anyone else. Talia spent most of her time at the Summers home, even eating and sometimes spending the night there. Since she had no family, she had rented a small apartment and had to support herself until she met Dawn. However, unbeknownst to her friend, Talia knew her sister's secret. She had decided to keep her knowledge hidden, for the time.

Every day after school Dawn and Talia went to the Magic Box together. Buffy, Xander, Willow, Tara, Angel, and Anya were always there, although they stopped talking as soon as the pair entered the room. One day, Talia caught part of the conversation that Buffy, her sister, and her friends were having. Once Talia entered the room they stopped talking, however, they knew Talia had heard them. They immediately began making excuses to cover the fact that their discussion involved the word demon. Talia stepped in, "You don't have to pretend", "I know you're the slayer Buffy." she said frankly. Buffy looked accusatorial at Dawn, "WHY DID YOU TELL HER?!" she shouted. Dawn froze in panic, Talia interjected, "No! It wasn't her! I found out myself!" Buffy looked calmer but still shocked. Xander broke the silence that followed "But we still have that Shoggoth demon to worry about." "That's right, so Dawn, Talia… go away," said Anya. Dawn and Talia suddenly burst into a chorus of protests. Before she knew it, Talia screamed, "I have powers too! You have to let me fight with you!" Everyone stared, Talia realized what she had just said. She stared, terrified, then she gasped and her bright blue eyes began to well with tears. Dawn shouted, "Why didn't you tell me? You've been lying to me this whole time? I thought we were friends!" "We are! Please forgive me! I didn't mean to lie, I just thought you'd hate me!" Talia pleaded. Dawn continued to shout, and Talia got visibly angrier at each accusation. Eventually, her hands began to smoke, and her hair burst into flames. Her eyes flashed gold, and balls of fire flickered in her hands. Everyone screamed, and Talia gasped, "Oh god, oh god, I'm sorry! I don't want to hurt anyone! It's okay! This, this is my power." she faltered. In a burst of smoke, she returned to her normal appearance. Buffy hesitantly said, "Well, maybe we could use her, with powers like that, she could be very helpful.", everyone agreed with her, except for Dawn, who continued to stare at her friend. Talia couldn't take any more of this, "Right here, guys! Right exactly here!" They looked at her, Willow said, "She's right, she's still human." "Well, I'm not exactly human…" Talia mumbled. "What?" Xander asked. "Nothing, nothing!" Talia lied. "Well we have to patrol for that Shoggoth or there are going to be more bodies by morning," Tara said. "Tara's right, we have to go." Willow agreed. The two lovingly gazed into each other's eyes and clasped hands. Angel and Buffy looked at each other and smiled. Anya snapped "Come on let's go! Xander and I want to-" "OKAY! Why don't we go look for that demon, huh!" Xander interjected with an uncomfortable smile. The group left the Magic Box, Angel and Buffy walking together, Tara and Willow holding hands, and Xander lecturing Anya on proper behavior around people. Dawn and Talia trailed behind, walking in uncomfortable silence. Eventually, Dawn broke the silence by saying, "I'm sorry, Talia." "For what? Yelling at me? Alienating me in front of your sister and your friends? Whatever, apology accepted." Talia said, rolling her eyes. She sped up to join the rest of the group, leaving Dawn behind feeling miserable.

They had been out all night searching for the demon. They were just about to go home and take Angel up on the offer to patrol alone. Suddenly, they heard a crinkling sound and out of the shadows a massive arm emerged right behind Talia, it's curled nails ripped her skin, blood poured off her face and neck. She screamed and the group whirled around, just in time to see her jerked off her feet, into the woods behind her.

Buffy started to run towards the woods when suddenly a flash of brilliant light burst from the woods. The demon was shrieking with pain until a suddenly an explosion erupted out of the woods and knocked everyone off their feet. A few minutes later when the air had cleared, a bloody and scratched Talia emerged, coughing and wheezing, stumbling out into a clearing that the explosion had made. She took one quick embarrassed glance towards Buffy and then collapsed onto the hard ground, completely unconscious.

Talia opened her eyes and winced at the blinding white light above her. "She's coming to!" someone shouted. Talia groaned as she sat up, noticing the stabbing pain in her ribs. She tried to get out of the soft bed she was in but the pain was too strong and she fell back again. "Don't try to get up, okay?", a soft voice whispered to her and she looked up to see Dawn standing next to her, a worried look etched across her face. "You're still injured from that explosion. How did that happen by the way?" "I um, well, I kind of got really scared and, well, mad, and there was this smoke coming from me and suddenly I burst into flames. Like, my whole body did, and then, I kind of exploded I guess. I don't know, I've never done that before." She looked sheepishly at the rest of the group, afraid of what they might say, or the looks of fear that they would deny. Instead, they smiled and Buffy said, "Apparently you're more powerful than any of us thought. We could really use your help." Talia felt a smile creep onto her face, simply the fact that they were all still beside her, not shrinking from her in fear, filled her with an indescribable warmth. Though Xander started to speak, Talia didn't listen to a word. She knew that this was where she belonged, she was finally home, she finally had a real family.


End file.
